There are known knowns about the pandemic such as a pent-up desire to travel and need for flexibility from suppliers.
But no one really knows yet which of the current trends will remain and how traveler behaviors will be impacted longer term.
SiteMinder in a report gives a nod to the increased appreciation for travel as well as the sentiment from more than a third of travelers, 34%, that they plan to travel more.
In its Dynamic Traveller: A New Era of Hotel Guest report, the hotel technology specialist says travelers now have higher expectations of their accommodation.
Subscribe to our newsletter below
According to the report, 52% say they have higher expectations and it’s elements such as flexibility, value for money and security that are having the greatest impact on booking behavior.
The research says of the 14 factors that are likely to influence booking, free cancellations and amendments is in the top two priorities for almost a third of travelers.
It outweighs price, always considered the top factor to influence behavior in the past, which comes second at 27%.
In Australia, booking flexibility is within the top two priorities for 45% of travelers while in France, Spain and the U.K. it’s a key factor for more than 40%.
Interesting to note that after booking flexibility and price, having breakfast included and health and safety practices rank about equal when it comes to what influences bookings.
The report also highlights the direct booking trend revealing that 39% of travelers expect to book direct with hotels, up slightly from 2020’s figure of 36%.
Booking via online travel agency has slipped from 37% in 2020 to 26% this year according to the study.
It also reveals travelers are opting for packages more with 14% now choosing a package compared to about 4% in 2020.
Further findings of the SiteMinder report include the online trust challenge with about a fifth of travelers trust their accommodation provider ‘a lot’ with personal data when it comes to payment, 48% say ‘somewhat’ and 21% say ‘not much.’
Mark Renshaw, chief marketing officer at SiteMinder, says: “The preferences of this dynamic, evolved traveller are likely to fundamentally reshape the travel industry, as well as the approach hoteliers now need to take to be seen as a viable accommodation option.”